My first two flights in years - AAR

[Fry]

Hi everyone.  I thought I'd let you all know how my first two sorties went last night after being absent from any virtual flying for almost 3 years....well, after AW passed on.

After needing a week to get my stick and rudders all set up (finding the time was the issue), I sat down at my desk.  Sitting directly in front of me is my  X45 setup and below, my old CH pedals.  To my left are a few pages of notes I printed as well as Hammers AH Quick Reference Sheet .  To my right, I have a fresh poured glass of Guinness  to celebrate:)

I *think* I have everything set up on my stick that I'll ever need, but in the back of my mind, I know that's not going to be the real problem.  Flying in AH requires much more pilot involvement than I've ever needed and I know that it's going to take some time for me to get remotely comfortable here.  Heck, you wouldn't believe how long it took me to find out what country I was flying for, hehe.  And since I've yet to figure out how to change countries, I'm a rook for right now;)

Ok, I've spent a good 5 or 10 minutes checking out the roster, setting up my plane, double and triple checking my stick setup...trying to remember what button does what etc. and I'm ready to hit the tarmac.  Hmmm....but where at?  I pull up the map and intuitively figure out how to move between bases and find one just a sector east of a sector with pretty large red and green bars.  I figure it's now or never so I take the NW strip and launch.

Pucker factor is already starting as I climb out to 15k in my Hellcat; chosen for it's overall performance and the ability to take punishment...and yes, I expect to be taking much more than I'll be dishing it out, hehe.  I try to figure out how the trim for speed works, test out trim for level and check out my ability to check my instruments.  I can tell that it's going to be a real learning experience before things are intuitive.

I head to field 78 to the west and spots plenty of dots....most co-alt a few below and a few above me.  I skirt the area looking for my first engagement...one where my SA doesn't have to be on;) ....basically a 1v1, hehe.  But luck isn't with me as I can tell that once I engage anyone, other will join as everyone is in viz of each other.  

I'm about commit myself to a fight when I hear sput-sput-sput...and I see my prop stop and slowly spin.  What????  I put my head on a swivel and stomp on my rudder and take some wild evasives...but I don't hear or see anything.  I check my damage (yes, I had to check my cheat sheet to see that's its ctl-d) and everythings green and showing no damage.  So what's happening, why did my engine shut down, I try to restart a couple of times, but no joy.  That's when it hits me...glancing down, I see the E standing out on my fuel gauge.  Wouldn't you know it, but I'm finding out that 25% fuel, sure doesn't get you far when you're climbing out on full power, hehe.

So as that realization starts to hit home, I dive down gliding and head back east planing on ditching.  And wouldn't you know it, I see a perfect opportunity to help out a countryman as he's dragging a red LA-5 (sorry, but i don't even know what color matches what country yet).  Oh, btw, we don't get chased, we always are dragging;)

Unfortunately, without an engine, I can only send a few shots as they go screaming by and by now, I'm mixed up in a small furball as a glider...truely E fighting to the extreme.  I finally can  disengage, hoping I'm in the clear but withing seconds I am jumped from behind.  As I'm furiously trying to shake this guy off, I realize what I've been missing all these years.  Adrenaline takes over and I'm yanking and banking.  Probably be spraining  my neck if this was RL, hehe.  Unfortunately, I forget everything I thought I'd remember about where my trim buttons are, flaps, etc. and the flight part of the flight or fight instinct takes over .  As I get near the ground, I actually end up dragging a wing and augering in a textbook
Smoking Wrecks manner, ending my 1st sortie with no kills, but a wondeful thrilling ride.

As I sat back in HQ, I revel in the glow of combat and take a swig of Guinness....aah:)  It wasn't much of a fight, but it was enough for me to decide to take of with 50% fuel this time:lol

I head out west again and after getting an idea of my situation, I notice a lone rook (unknown a/c type) being chased by a red P-51.  I know I don't have the speed to compete with them, but I hope that I may be able to distract the P-51 for a bit and force him to leave my countryman.  I'm a bit late as I hop on the train at treetop level only at about 500yds out of the 51.  I spray a few rounds into the 51 as we're weaving in and out among the trees and building (very cool, btw, as I've not been close to the ground before), but the 51's not panicing.  He stays on the tail of my countryman and doesn't break away:(

I try to send a radio message to that rook to do a hard break, but in the state of combat, I can't remember which command does what on the radio, aargh!!   The rook is just weaving left and right and maybe hasn't noticed me yet.  Both of them have pulled away to over 800yds and I'm thinking of breaking this off as I don't like to be low like this.  As I'm about to leave, I see the rook break hard right  as he does so he drags a wing and crashes in a ball of fire.  

Amazingly, like a gift from heaven, the 51 continues to follow and come around.  I'm able to pull a solid 6g's to cut inside his turn and get within 400yds of him.  I pull the trigger and my 6 .50's start firing...I see sparkles on the 51, buhahaha!  I do a quick check on my 6 and see no one and I press my attack.  I fire again, and more sparkes appear, but there doesn't seem to be any catastrophic damage as the 51 is starting to pull away.  Now at 500 yds, at 600yds, 700yds and my shots aren't touching him....damn.  I continue to press him wonder when and how I'm going to disengage and get out of this mess I'm now in.

I wait until he's a bit more than 1k out and then I break hard to the east (to the right), hoping he doesn't notice for some time which would give me a chance to get away.  Just when I think I'm free, I check back and I see him turning to the right to get back on my 6.  An boy, do those 51's turn fast when they're going full out.  I reverse up and left (to help drain some speed to help my turn rate) and am barely able to merge with him as I see him fire a snap shot at our passing.  No pings, but enought to wake me up and tell me that I'm not in the best position right now with both a/c going very fast, way too fast for my Hellcat and fighting a prettty good 51 pilot.

As I turn to meet my adversary, I lose sight of him...aaargh!!  Frantically, I'm checking everywhere and I can't see him and panic starts to set in.  I yank the stick over and that's when, in all essence, I lost the fight.  I was lost, no SA.  By the time I regained my composure, I found him on my 6 and pinging me.  I dove into the trees and past a cool red building (again, pretty nice scenery by the AH terrain guys;)).  I see tracers flying past me then I hear a loud sequence of hits and I lose elevator control.  I try to pull up to get some alt to bail, but give up on that idea as I can't even remember how to, hehe.

So for the second time this evening, I end up performing a auger worthy of making my squad mates proud, woot!

Oh, that 51 pilot, his name was malibu.  Once I figure out how to talk on the radio, I'll have to congratulate him:)

[Schutt]

Nice report, thank you man !

[Edbert]

Welcome back, good story!

BTW you can't "speak" on radio with the NMEs, you can type to most players on channel 200, but many don't tune to it.

[Westy]

Hiya Fry "<---pushing for the damn choo-choos since he last enabled them in MacAW."

 Long time no-see and nice AAR!

 Although I was just a bit amazed that you did not finally take a Typhoon or a P-47 up on a train busting attack.






Westy

[Schatzi]

HeHeHe. Nice write up. TY! One year into AH2, my sorties still go like that .

' key to send a chk6 to countryman. Or (if mic) hold f12 to talk range.

/ to type on radio. If you want to talk to other countries, set up one of the channels to 200 since channel 1 (All) has been disabled (only used for salutes - type .s into radio buffer). Channel 6 is a new all-country help channel.

All enemy AC are displayed red by default. You can change Icon and map display colors in SETUP>preferences. The country is 'shown' by the chess piece symbol of the icon. To see what friendlies fly, hit ALT I to toggle icon display. (Make sure its back to normal icon display after - friendly icon only can be a nasty surprise )

To change country got to OClub (on Clipboard) or type ".country #" into radio with 1 for bish, 2 for knight and 3 for rook. I think the time delay to be able to change back is 12 hrs (?).

[BigB717]

great write up! that was interesting... loved it just as much as flying lol

[Fry]

Thanks for all the radio and icon tips.  I didn't realize that the all arena channel is limited....too bad.  Prolly due to idiot kill macros, right?  Interesting thing about all enema showing as one color.  That's make it tough for two countries to work together wouldn't it.

As for trains, yes.  I was on staff in MacAW and loved to turn on the trains and surprise folks in the arenas as trains were a rarity.  They were a blast to drive as well as for target practice, hehe.  I had plans....grandiose plans of how I envisioned trains to work in AW.  Last I heard at the 2001 Con was that this post below....yes, I'm gonna do it here too, hehe, was on the wall of someone in Kesmai (i.e. EA) for consideration.  Too bad it never happened:(

But now that AH has them (I've yet to see any yet as I've only been up two time), I'm going to check them out.  I hear they blow up real good;)

And now for my train post....designed for AW, but probably could be adapted to AH.  Once I'm fully knowledgable in AH and knows how things work and the capabilities of the a/c and vehicles, I'll see about revising this some and see if we can get CONTROLLABLE trains and post this in the Wish List boards.

Choo! Choo!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Fry's Train Proclamation and Elucidation...title courtesy of Westy

Well, I have had a number of YEARS to think about this stuff and want to be sure that when (positive thinking here ) trains are considered, the development team has some good ideas on how to implement their use within the arenas:)

Make the trains have a total of three cars; engine, transport car (for troops, supplies, etc.), and a gunnery car with two usable gun positions.  From the engine car (where it's piloted), the pilot should be able to "jump" to either of the two gunner positions (similar to a tank piloting code and the intended B-17 code in AW:MV).

Top speed of the train should be greater than that of a truck, jeep, or tank....maybe 75ias to make it worth the risk of transporting them on dedicated rails as opposed to driving any which way to their ultimate destination.

The transport car should be able to transport TWICE the amount of troops, fuel, ammo, etc. that is possible on a C-47 or truck (i.e. 16 troops etc.).  They should also be allowed to transport any two ground vehicles.  Users driving the trains and the users gunning the trains must also have the ability to jump to the ground vehicles once the train is at a stop.  Those ground vehicles are useable once unloaded from a stopped train at any point in the arena.  

The trains are to be relatively pilotless as they will be running on damageable permanent and visible train tracks.  They cannot be driven off the tracks yet driving over a damaged section of track will decrease the top speed to 45ias due to axle damage.  The trains speed CAN be controlled by the throttle, as well as come to a complete stop and travel in reverse.

Damaged tracks are to have a down time of only 3 minutes.  Why?  When an enemy plane bombs the track, it will give the train engineer a chance (if possible) to stop the train prior to running over the damaged track and getting damaged.  He can then wait the 3 minutes for the track to repair itself and continue on his run at 75ias, or just run over the damaged track, take the axle damage and run at 45ias.  This then requires the enemy to rtb to reload and/or work in pairs to kill a train.  The objective should be to kill the train.  So damaging the tracks should only hinder the train in its goal of resupply not kill it outright.  But should an already damaged train run over another section of damaged tracks, the train will come to a complete stop and be unable to continue.

It should take 2 bomb hits to kill a train.  Yet strafing the engine can kill or damage the train (loss of top speed) as well.  It should take 1 bomb hit to damage a track.  Tracks should run between airfields or cities regardless of ownership.  At "Y" intersections, the pilot must "steer" in the direction he/she chooses to travel.  If not "steered", a random direction will be enabled.  Multiple trains can be on a single track as no collisions are enabled.  

How about having some tunnels as well? That way, the train could make a mad dash through enemy territory toward the safety of a tunnel in a mountain. Then they'd pop out the other end and continue on their run...if they're lucky:) Once in the tunnel, enemy icons on the radar will NOT work.  The train engineer/pilot will only be able to tell where he is within the tunnel itself, but not who's waiting on the outside, hehe.

Here's how I figure the tunnel/train/bombing/damage would work. TWO bombs dropped on the entrance/exit of a tunnel would destroy it for....say 10 minutes, stopping the progress of the train. Bombs dropped elsewhere on the mountain would do no damage. Should a train be caught in the bomb radius at the entrance/exit it could be damaged/destroyed as normal.

If a train is stuck in a tunnel, ie. the entrances/exits are destroyed, the pilot can opt to wait the 10 minutes for the entrances/exits to regenerate or just abort his/her run....their choice.

While in a tunnel, trains can NOT unload ANY cargo.

About 95% of the tunnels would have only 1 exit, but 5% would have 2 exits....each to a different destination (a normal y-intersection, but in a tunnel). That would make the attacking plane keep an eye on two spots on the mountain, waiting for the train to appear:)

Graphically, the trains would support smokestacks with visible smoke while running.  Upon destruction of the engine, the boiler should explode in a large white steamy explosion.  If the train was carrying fuel or ammo, there would be an increased chance of destruction upon hits of the transport car.  When destroyed, an enormous exploding fireball should result with a blast/damage radius considerably larger than a bomb....a good chance of damaging the straffing/bombing plane if it's anywhere near the target (historically accurate;))

Hmm...as a pilot, how careful do I have to be when I attack a train?  Now that I've bombed the entrances/exits, do I assume he aborted his train mission, or do I wait the 10 minutes and see if he comes out? If he does come out, do I just play it safe and straf the engine and not the cargo cars where ammo or fuel could be carried?  It could take multiple runs...what about those train gunners??  Or do I just straf the entire length of the train and hope it's not carrying fuel or ammo?  Or do I NOT straf at all and use my bombs?  Will I be out of the bomb blast or do I press a bit closer for a better aim?  Maybe I just cross my fingers and hope it's just a troop carrier;)

[Skuzzy]

Nice AAR.  Good read.

[1ijac]

Fry,  I just sat and laughed while I read your wonderful story!:p

Thanks    1i  

[Oldman731]

Originally posted by Fry
Hi everyone.  I thought I'd let you all know how my first two sorties went last night after being absent from any virtual flying for almost 3 years....well, after AW passed on.

Welcome back, Fry, good write-up, too.

- oldman

[Westy]

"Hmm...as a pilot, how careful do I have to be when I attack a train? "

Very careful.  I've not flown in AH-II but in AH-1 you could be in for a nasty surprise if you just bee lined in on them like they were the six-ten commuter express coming out of the city.

 But giving away any more would be akin to passing on boxgame "cheats."

 Trains are just something you have to experience and learn to tackle

[Jackal1]

Coolness has struck.

[Alky]

I was C'z for all my AW career, being a Rook is just as good

[Fry]

Thanks again for the warm welcome:)

It looks like I'm a Rook for now and have modified my icons on my map to reflect that wonderful bright green of Cz and made the others red and blue.  Now things are feeling like home, hehe.

As for trains, where do I find them? Are they automatically triggered to travel when an enemy base is damaged? I may have to do some sightseeing the next time I'm up;)

Guess what? I got my first assist (on a B-26, I think) and a kill today on a LA-5.  I also experienced first hand that those bombers like to shoot back .  No damage on my a/c, but the bullet holes left in my front windshield was a reminder through the rest of that flight that I need to think AH rather than AW, hehe.  And again taking 50% wasn't enough as I ran out of fuel on final and ended up ditching just before the runway.

Is it really common folks fuel up with 75% or 100%?  Seems like I may have to to be able to fly for anything over 15 minutes.

Good fights and feels like old times t hough I still got to get used to hearing "Check 6, Fry!" by voice rather than in text...darned near freaked me out...and the wifey, Mrs. Fry, who overheard the call;)

[Alky]

Originally posted by Fry
Thanks again for the warm welcome:)

It looks like I'm a Rook for now and have modified my icons on my map to reflect that wonderful bright green of Cz and made the others red and blue.  Now things are feeling like home, hehe.


Is it really common folks fuel up with 75% or 100%?  Seems like I may have to to be able to fly for anything over 15 minutes.

I just "KNEW" you were C'z

The fuel thing... it depends on the plane, you can fly for a week on 75% in a P-47 but you're lucky if it gets ya across the street in a LA7
It's like old home week around here, Moggy is here, Brooke is here and the list is endless, check out the AW threads in the forum
Welcome to AH and hope to see ya up C'z... err... Rook